Foot vibrator



Jan. 6, 1931. 1.. H. STURTEVANT 1,738,175

FOOT VIBRATOR Filed Jan. 11, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet '1 Jan. 6, 1931.

' L. H. STURTEVANT FOOT VIBRATOR Filed Jan. 5 Sheets- Sheet 2 INVENTORI I ATTORNEY L H. STURTEVANT 1,788,176

FOOT VIBRATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed J a INVENTOR :1

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAURANCE H. s'rURTEvAN'r, or QUmox'mAssAoHUsET'rs assienon 'ro STURTE- VANT MILL COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or massa- CHUSETTS Foo'r VIBRATOR Application filed January 11, 1929. Serial No. 331,882.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to health promoting vibrators and more particularly to a vibrator which is designed for stimulating and invigorating the foot and relieving it from fatigue.

One of the purposes of the invention is to provide a simple, compact, eflicient vibrator for imparting vibrations to the foot transversely and longitudinally thereof. Another purpose is to provide means for vibrating or massaging thetop of the foot. Another purpose is to provide means for vibrating or massaging the back of the heel of the foot. And still another purpose is to provide a vibrator having a foot support which may readily receive angular movement to accommodate the position of the foot of the user.

The character of the invention may be best understood by reference to the following description of one good form thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan of the vibrator;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1; r

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an end view of the eccentric shaft.

Referring to the drawings, the vibrator shown therein as one embodiment of the invention, comprises a suitable support, in the present instance in the form of a base I having inturned flanges 3 supporting boxes 5 containing ball bearings 7 in which trunnions 9 and 11 of a shaft 13 are journalled. This shaft has a portion 15 which is concentric with the axis of the shaft, and a portion 17 which is eccentric with the axis of the shaft.

Mounted upon the eccentric portion 17 of the shaft is an eccentric in the form of a sleeve .19 having a collar 21 at one end thereof, in which is a bore 23 threaded to receive a set-screw 25 having a cup-shaped end 27 adapted to be set firmly down against the bottom of a groove 29 in the shaft portion 17. This set-screw has a square hole 31 therein ada ted to receive a suitably shaped tool for ad usting the set-screw into and out of engagement with the shaft. The construction is such that the eccentric sleeve may be rotatively adjustedon the eccentric shaft portion 17 to vary the throw of the eccentric as desired.

Mounted uponand carried by the eccentric is a foot receiving member or support 33 comprising a plate '35 secured by screws 37 to outstanding flanges 39 on a strap or ring 41 encircling the eccentric. Interposed between the eccentric and the ring are ball bearings comprising a raceway 43 fast on the eccentric sleeve 19, a raceway 45 fast in the ring 41, and balls 47 between the raceways; The raceways are located between the eccentric sleeve collar2l and a collar 49 on and secured to the eccentric shaft portion 17. The ring 41 has an arm 51 depending therefrom connected to ends of light coil springs 53, the opposite ends of said springs being connected to screw eyes 55 on the base. The plate 35 of the foot support may have an upturned end 57, and the top of the plate and the inner face of said upturned end may be covered by a pad 59 of rubber or other suitable mate rial. The upper surface of the plate 35 may have a contour more or less to conform to the longitudinal arch of the foot.

To rotate the shaft 13, a variable speed motor 61pmay be provided on the base 1, and may have its armature shaft 63 connected by 'a coupling 65 with a portion 67 of the shaft which extends out beyond the journal 9.

A strap 69 may be connected to the foot support plate by screws 71 which may be entered through selected eyes or series of eyes in thestrap. A heel strap 73'may be connectecl to the foot support plate 35 by screws 75 entered through selected holesor series of holes in said strap. The foot support plate 35 may have a hole 77 therein to facilitate application of the tool to the set screw 25.

In use, the foot is placed upon the foot support, which will easily tilt to accommodate the position of the foot, this movement being slightly opposed by one of the coil springs 53. For example, if the user is seated when his foot is applied to the support, the

latter will be tilted in a clockwise direction (Fig. On the other hand, if the user assumes a standing position, the foot support will be in a horizontal or nearly horizontal position.

When the motor is rotated, the eccentric will be rotated, and will impart vertical and horizontal vibratory movements to the ring and foot support. These vibrations will be transmitted to the foot, which will be massaged, stimulated and invigorated by this compound motion. The strap extending over the toe of the foot will transmit vibratory movements to the top of the foot, and the strap passing over the back of the heel of the foot will transmit vibratory movements thereto with beneficial results. These straps may be readily adjusted to adapt them to feet of different sizes. The toe strap may be adjusted to different positions along the top of the foot, and the heel strap may be adjusted to different positions along the back of the heel of the foot as desired. The amplitude of vibration may be increased or decreased by rotative adjustment of the eccento the shaft in its different positions of adjustment, and a foot support carried wholly by the strap adapted to receive the sole of the foot.

4. A foot vibrator comprising a base having bearings, a shaft journalled in said bearings, an eccentric on the shaft, a strap on the eccentric, a foot support carried wholly by the eccentric strap adapted to receive the sole of the foot, and means to rotate the eccentric, thereby to reciprocate the foot support transversely and longitudinally.

LAURANCE H. STURTEVANT.

tric sleeve 19 with respect to the eccentric shaft portion 17 as described. As stated, the electric motor 61 is a variable speed motor, so that the speed of rotation of the eccentric may be varied by varying the speed of the motor.

The term eccentric in the claims is to be regarded as generic to a crank motion.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown, and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A Toot vibrator comprising a base having bearings, a shaft journalled in said bearings, an eccentric on the shaft, a strap on the eccentric, a foot support carried wholly by the eccentric strap and adapted to receive the sole of the foot, an arm projecting from the eccentric strap, and spring means cooperating with said arm and tending to hold the foot support in a substantially horizontal position, said spring means being yieldable to permit tilting of the support by the foot of the user.

2. A foot vibrator comprising a base having bearings, a shaft journalled in said bearings, an eccentric on the shaft, a strap on the eccentric, a foot support carried wholly by the eccentric strap and adapted to receive the sole of the foot, means on the support to embrace the foot closely and hold the same firmly. against the support, and means to rotate the eccentric, thereby to reciprocate the foot support transversely and longitudinally with a compound motion,

3. A foot vibrator comprising a base having bearings, a shaft journalled in said bearings, an eccentric on the shaft, a strap on the eccentric, an eccentric sleeve on the eccentric rotatively adjustable to vary the throw of the eccentric, means to secure the sleeve 

